The mushrooms in this small, easily recognized genus have pink gills and spore prints and, as the genus name suggests, volvas at the stem base. Some Amanita species are superficially similar, but have white spores and frequently have rings. Since the gills of Volvariella species are whitish at first, you may need to have mature specimens to be sure you have not collected Amanita species.

Volvariella is traditionally viewed as a member of the Pluteaceae, which also includes Pluteus--but contemporary DNA studies (Moncalvo and collaborators, 2002; Matheny and collaborators, 2006) have had mixed results when it comes to supporting this idea, and it appears that further investigation, focused on Volvariella, may be required before we have a sense of whether the genus is supported and where it belongs in the taxonomic scheme of things.

Not as above. Various wood-loving Volvariellas with non-white caps may key out here. Whether or not these mushrooms represent undescribed species or mere color forms of Volvariella bombycina remains to be determined. Contributor Richard Nadon found what I have labeled Volvariella sp. 01 in Quebec; I have found brownish specimens that otherwise equaled Volvariella bombycina in Illinois.

Stem often with a "ring" (resulting from the collapsing of the volva); cap drab with brownish scales; spores 9-12 µ long; reported from Washington D.C. and possibly Michigan. (Imperfectly described species; type collection lost.)

Stem often with a "ring" (resulting from the collapsing of the volva); cap drab with brownish scales; spores 9-12 µ long; reported from Washington D.C. and possibly Michigan. (Imperfectly described species; type collection lost.)